Solar power is energy from the sun and without its
presence all life on earth would end. Solar energy has been looked upon
as a serious source of energy for many years because of the vast amounts
of energy that are made freely available, if harnessed by modern
technology.
A simple example of the power of the sun can be seen by using a
magnifying glass to focus the suns rays on a piece of paper. Before long
the paper ignites into flames.

This is one way of using the suns energy, but flames
are dangerous and difficult to control. A much safer and practical way
of harnessing the suns energy is to use the suns power to heat up water.

A magnifying glass can be used to heat up a small
amount of water. A short piece of copper tube is sealed at one end and
filled with water. A magnifying glass is then used to warm up the pipe.
Using more than one magnifying glass will increase the temperature more
rapidly. After a relatively short time the temperature of the water
increases. Continuing to heat the water will cause water vapour to
appear at the top of the tube. In theory, with enough patience, several
magnifying glasses and very strong sun light enough heat should be
generated to boil the water, producing steam. This is one way of
harnessing solar power.

The principle of heating water to boiling point was
used by the French in 1888. They developed a solar powered printing
press. It used the energy of the sun to boil water, producing steam. The
steam was used to drive a steam engine which provided the power to drive
the mechanical printing press. The machine was unreliable and very
expensive to manufacture.

Modern solar panels are a combination of magnifying
glasses and fluid filled pipes. The solar panel seen opposite has a
glass front which is specially made to focus the power of the sun on
pipes behind it. The pipes carry a special fluid that heats up rapidly.
They are painted black to absorb the heat from the sun. The silver
reflective surface behind the pipes reflects sun light back, further
heating the pipes and the fluid they contain. The reflective surface
also protects anything behind the solar panel (such as a roof).
The heat produced in the pipes is then used to heat a tank of water.
This saves using electricity or gas to heat up the water tank.